Art of Taskin

It gives me immense honour and joy to be selected to participate in this years SCOPE ART FAIR in Miami USA.My recent painting ' Reconnections with Nature I' was chosen to be featured in the collection ' The Voice of the Artist' and ' Natural World'. To be chosen amongst hundreds of Artists showcasing their best works in contemporary art really could not be a better way to wrap up my year. The Show runs from 2 to 6 December at Miami Pavillion, SCOPE art - Booth b27 801 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, Florida, USA If any of you are in the area, do pass by and visit BOOTH B27 and you may just walk away with something to cherish and take home!...

Dealing with creative block is not the easiest and fun but it happens to all of us! What is a creative block ? So the dictionary version is .....When you can't find yourself to have a creative thought. My version is.....being very close to giving up but knowing that love for what i do will will get me through...the third eye or mind tends not to wander but go into an almost quiet pause or silence... and no painting starts or finishes for a few days...it has never been as bad as not picking up the brush for months.... but a few days yes!.... How do I deal with it? I don't!... i just let myself go through it... without getting worked up it helps to venture into a new method or technique.  Sometimes I will flip through some old art pieces or paper works I have done and other times I will  pick up an old favourite one, or start a few studies of a subject I am not usually doing. This really changes momentum and proves to most of the time spark some new idea or theme someti...

So here it was for 2015... The Kenya Museum Annual Art Show was back with a bang!.... Two of my pieces were selected for the exhibition and for sale. I was privileged to have The Sun & Fireworks oil painting selected. The display was large, vast & thrilling!.Several Artists from accross the world had their work displayed and the genres covered were really broad ranging from wildlife to still life, portrait to landscapes in abstract & realistic styles.In fact,  close to 250 pieces were displayed at the Courtyard of the Museums of Kenya and it remained a spectacle to see all the diversity of talent expressed from our Country and the world. I was glad to part of such a great event and  national show. It was definitely a real memory to keep in my art diary of memories of exhibitions! :)

At many times in life we experience Pain. We cannot hide from it or escape from it. It is part of life. Instead of hiding pain from being expressed through Art, I have chosen to express it.  Negativity or pain can be used to create something rather than hide something. ' Extracting from Pain in Nature' is purely emotionally led and inspired. I believe,  if painting can be used to express positive emotions, it can also be used to express negative emotions. Usually the negative emotions remain in our memories for longer. I realized from the negative emotions I could extract and release something positive and permanent that others could see and sense and this gave me a feeling of being free .  The first is that we as humans are bound yet distinct,connected yet individually unique like the trees that have similar leaves but differently shaped trunks and branches. The two trees stand tall but fragile, a symbol of the mix of opportunity and struggles in life, each va...

The Punjabi Awards, the first of its kind in Kenya is officially underway. It gives me a lot of happiness and honour to be nominated by the people and panel in the Arts Category. There are various other categories including Education,Media & Business. Voting for the awards has officially opened. Everyone from every community is welcome to caste their votes. Family, friends , supporters, begin casting your votes for the person you believe should win in the Arts Category. The winner wins on the basis of their contribution and abilities in arts and talent. All votes can be sent in by visiting www.pma.co.ke  A formal award recognizing ceremony of all winners will take place in November. Please visit www.pma.co.ke  , click 'vote now' & caste your vote online of the person you believe should win in each category!) + check out the PMA2015 facebook page for more @ https://m.facebook.com/pmakenya Voting ends on 13 November 2015..so send your votes soon if you have not ...

This month has been an adventurous one. After attending some exhibitions of other Artists, the inspiring has been flowing!... One of the pieces Sea of Colour (sun setting against a night view of sea) was sold during the Art Festival at Kenya Wildlife Service Kenya. The inspiration for In the Deep Blue came from my memory and imagination. I had imagined the ocean & waves hitting the shore,the mixture of soft and rough, strong intense yet small and subtle waves...which reminded me of the diversity within our human race, much like waves,some move fast others move slow, some move with the rhythm and pace of life embracing every moment others do not have the opportunity to see the full potential that life has to offer. The diversity of the human race creates variety, adds colour and depth and also unites yet distinguishes us. Together the ocean could not do without the diversity and range of the waves, such like humans need each other to survive and thrive, and together when we ...

Why I became an Artist?! Some say we were born this way others say some life changing experience changes our view and others still say we see the world differently and therefore cannot see ourselves any other way. For a long time and as a child I was moved by shapes and colours, noticing lights,shapes of flowers, stare at the night sky and busy streets, draw objects around my house, I had been filled with the awe for the world around me since I was a child and now it becomes keeping that awe and love alive. So I say we choose to be artists as adults but we are all artists, filled with imagination, joy  and awe as children.  As adults we may undergo life changes and this also has a part to play in our experience and journey in discovering ourself and matching our understanding of ourselves with the reality of who we are.  It is continually a challenge like any other profession or job to be a good Artist. It has its highs,lows and moments of frustration and doubts bu...

Every body has something to give, something to say & something to share!... Last week I received the news that Kenya is on top of the medal table in the IAAF World Championships 2015 and last weekend I had the chance to also visit the National Museum. The international Artist Amandeep Singh aka Ink just had an amazing one man show of his spectacular Artwork influenced by what he calls Sikh Art. I found it to be so enriching, refreshing and filled with depth and intrigue.   And I met Moses Muigai, a humble friendly and very versatile Artist from Kenya who had a Solo Exhibition at the Museum and recently opened The Heritage Art Gallery at Mt Longonot National Park in Kenyas Rift Valley.  There are countless number of exhibitions in Kenya from such talented & skilled creatives that one cannot possibly attend every one but making the time for such visits has always been exciting & a natural stimulator for me. There is always so much to gain and learn fro...

Some of my new paintings are ready for framing & before you got in touch wouldn't it be a good idea for you to not only imagine how it will look on the wall but also see it for yourself! .... and that is why I have posted some of my paintings in a frame against an interior room setting for all of you who are interested to see how it would look on the wall! http://taskinbutt.wix.com/artstudio#!grid/chom And want to see it in real time? there is always ofcourse the option of seeing how it will look for yourself right from your phone..simple, just search for the pixels.com app to check the piece you like in real time! on your ipad iPhone or Android and search for Taskin Butt. It's an easy, quick and painless way of seeing how the art you love will look on your wall, judging the colours, size of the piece relative on the background setting and wall and you can even compare whether you would like to see it as a framed print, canvas  without framing or also a...

Recently I have been reflecting on the idea of falling in love with our life. It is said to live a good life and fulfill our goals one has to love their life. It struck me as very apt as it is middle of the year and we decide on the plans for rest of the year and reflect on whether we managed to achieve the goals we set at the start of the year. Sometimes we search for clarity of purpose and direction and feel maybe changing location place or situation is best without thinking it could just be the way we look at it - our perspective. Maybe it is about tuning in, 'being present'. Sometimes we float through the day finishing our duties, day job or responsibilities without really being present in the moment. If we tried to be aware of how we feel little more how much more would we achieve? Without thinking of future or the past or whats going on in our head how much more would we do? Its easier said than done but most things just need another perspective. If I related taking...

Everyday is worth living. On this I wrote on Cherishing Today!... Cherish dreams Cherish Ideals Cherish each moment of inspiration And we create life in its highest moments Where all that is within shines Is ready to be discovered and revealed Maybe it is a divine giving Where our real world deserves to be built Where we can share the spirit of love and truth And become a serene soul, free of disease Calm in the face of adversity and open to embrace Life Today.

 Recently, I had been contemplating on the nature, strength, endurance & ultimate fate of these resourceful elegant beautiful living resources we call ' Trees'. If I began to list the benefits of these amazing life forms we would be here all day, because we all now how beneficial they are to survival, growth and to our own existence too.  Instead, I wrote a small piece of writing to acknowledge them and also tried to capture their essence through colour in this painting below I titled Harmony. At a time when deforestation  and the illegal and unlawful cutting down of trees is a huge concern globally, I have written the below piece in a quest to express their value, preciousness and resourcefulness through the symbol of its own life, hence the reference to a dream.                             ...

Using media in different ways or experiencing using a new medium altogether can sometimes be the beginning of a new & exciting journey! ... I started paint pouring three months ago and it has led me into a new terrain of creativity being able to appreciate a new medium, apply it to create new pieces , unexpected happy accidents and new found inspiration that makes creating art one of the reasons I practise it.  I have always used oil paints as that is what I have been used to however with time one realizes that every medium in art has its beauty, versatility and advantages. It really depends on how the medium is utilised.  Acrylic paint pouring has been interesting and this is what resulted after my ventures in this media !... Rebirth  Dancing in the Skies  Melting Seas  Galaxies & Stars  Floral Burst Twists & Turns 

 In the last two years, I have been working on creating designs for merchandise....and now we are finally there!...selling designs on a range of items....such as notebooks, calendars, mugs, kitchen and home decor and also personal accessories... At Taz Gift Shop, we now have our own  dedicated online website from which buyers can purchase directly. With collaboration from Zazzle Inc, a production and print on demand company who specialise in producing products of designs created by Artists and creatives, we are officially selling designs through TAZ GIFTS SHOP - ' gifts for every season and reason'.... Globally accessible website : www.tazgiftshop.co.ke + Visit TAZ GIFS SHOP @ http://www.zazzle.com/tazart  if you are in USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand or Europe... If you have any questions regarding latest designs or making orders do get in touch directly :)  Enjoy your week!

With the start of the year has come that special decision to keep painting landscapes I so love! Inspired by the imagination, the landscapes I have painted in the last few weeks have not only rejuvenated but also thrilled me as to what we can do when we let go and freely do what we love, experiencing every brush stroke  & immersing myself in every colour without thinking too much but rather imagining, feeling and doing.... It is like music stirring in the heart or a dance waiting to unfold.... free of controls where  the process gives way to the outcome:                                                                             Dreams, Tranquility and Meadow Flowers 57 cm x 31 cm                      ...

Kuona Trust, the Centre for Visual Arts in Kenya held its Art Walk, Valentine Edition on 14 February 2015  at Kuona Trust itself and some Artists,including myself from Kenya represented some of our artworks at the one day event.  It was a great day filled with art, food, music, sun and fun ( and a bit of rain towards the end! )..... As guests and visitors trickled in, they had the chance to view art, walk around stands, meet with the artists and interact too! while relaxing with some bitings and music playing in the background!..... The Art was on display from 10 am to 6 pm and entry was free! Watch out for more events coming soon ! .....

The piece ' The Sun' is dedicated to the expression of hope, life and death  and spiritual growth. After storms and rain, the sun always rises again...a symbol of the quest to find hope and renewal. Here, the Sun can also be associated with the cycle of life, whereby as a child is born the sun rises, the child grows up and reaches a peak in life represented by the sun reaching a peak in mid afternoon, the grown person begins to slowly grow old as the sun slowly begins to set and finally the person dies as the sun sets. The sun sets but also rises again representative of the soul rising after the death of a person or the movement from the physical realm to a spiritual realm, life after death, or the after life.  The Sun oil on canvas 80 cm x 80 cm

The New Year has began and I decided to start it with something new. In the last two weeks I have been working on two new paintings with a slightly different theme - 'trees'. I have been used to painting landscapes but this time I decided to completely give my paintings a new turn - ie an abstract modern art twist. It was extremely exciting. I had a great time working on these two pieces, using a broader palette than I usually use.In both paintings I was working with light as the major focus predominantly and using the temperature of the light to dictate the colours. The inspiration for both pieces came from my visits  at the end of last year to Lake Nakuru, one of the Lakes of central Kenya, to the south of the city Nakuru in the rift valley, a lake protected by the Lake Nakuru National Park where apart from flamingoes one finds a sea of colours and trees. Both paintings are a dedication to the fight against extinction of trees of Kenya and increasing deforestation withi...

To usher the New Year with a good suprise!... I received an email this week from  Artsy Shark, letting me know that I was selected to be part of their group photo article which they publish throughout the year. Artsy Shark  is an online art promotion platform that specializes in showcasing artists through  individual articles that present their portfolios and tell their stories.  Great way to start the New Year! ...... Looking forward to even more exciting things to come this year!